Mugen
by pain17ification
Summary: Found in the Void as an infant, Naruto Uzumaki's future is forever changed when the Ouroboros Dragon accepts a wager from the Dragon of Dragons (DxD). She is to raise him and help him grow, and in her success, she will be free of DxD's presence from her home. What she never expected was to form a bond with the boy; a bond the two of them will decipher together. Naru/Olga Discordia
1. Chapter 1: Idiocy, Wagers, & Growing Up

_***sheepish***_ **Well… This is a familiar thing, ne?**

 **Here I am _once again_ with yet another new idea… I know that I should focus on my existing stories, but new ideas can be SO DAMN MIND-CONSUMING!**

 _ ***takes a few breaths to compose myself***_

 **Okay… I've decided to post this just to get the damn idea out there. I like to experiment, as I'm sure you readers have seen. So, consider THIS story another experiment. I want to see how this idea will be received, BUT the story itself will NOT be a major focus!**

 **...Maybe.**

 **Please excuse my weak will, and I hope you all enjoy this experiment.**

 **Disclaimer: Raymond Smith, aka** _ **pain17ification**_ **, owns nothing**

* * *

 _Mugen_

 _Chapter One: Idiocy, Wagers, and Growing Up_

* * *

"This job sucks," an ANBU sighed out as he leaned on a wall inside of a small room. Said room only housed himself, a crib, and a sleeping baby with whiskered cheeks. "I know the brat's head is being called for, but what idiot would infiltrate the Hokage Tower to kill him? It's suicide."

Beneath his Toad mask, a mask that carried a surprising amount of spiritual weight to it, a tic mark formed above his brow.

"And why was _I_ the one chosen to watch him?!"

The baby shifted in his sleep, making the ANBU choke on his spit and quiet down so that the brat wouldn't wake up. Having seen plenty of fussy babies, thanks to his girlfriend being friends with plenty of new mothers, he didn't want to experience another one; especially with _this_ brat housing a being of mass destruction.

He sighed again and crossed his arms as he continued leaning on the wall. "I know Lord Hokage wants the kid safe, but couldn't he get some newbie to watch him? I've been an ANBU for almost six months now," he complained. "I should be out with a squad or something…"

Let it be known that ANBU Operative Toad was a proud young man, having attained the position of a black ops member at the relatively young age of 20. The average age for ANBU was late twenties, so he felt pleased at his success. Like many ninja, he aspired to be one of those legends that parents would tell their kids and kids would dream of being.

He himself aspired to be like the recently deceased Fourth Hokage; who was known for his infamous space-time technique that earned him the moniker "Yellow Flash". Toad had even taken to studying the sealing arts and focusing on space-time techniques in the hope of outdoing the man's success.

His notes were never far from him, being sealed into a scroll that was strapped to his belt. Seeing as there was nothing else to do, he decided to unseal those very notes and resume his experimental seal. If it succeeded, then he'd be able finally _be_ somebody; more than just another masked ninja hidden behind the scenes.

He got to work, his excitement and anticipation spurring him and making him hyper focused enough to make great headway in just a couple of hours. Checking the clock in the room, he saw that he still had a little over an hour left of his shift watching the kid. He looked back down at his work and grinned behind his mask, taking a moment to bask in his seal's magnificence.

"With this," he whispered to himself, "I'll go down in history."

His excitement was still at full strength, and it triggered the impulsive craving to use his seal; regardless of the fact that he didn't even test the thing in a safe, controlled environment. He ignored that little voice in his head telling him to wait, for it was silenced by his own eagerness.

Laying the sealing formula in front of him on the ground, he failed to notice just how long he made it and that the scroll rolled open across the floor and stopped on the other side of the crib. He went through a series of handseals that would help him in controlling the flow of the space-time technique, his grin never lessening behind his mask.

When the final handseal was made, he focused his chakra into the seal, which lit up a stunning blue that encompassed the room; making the baby Jinchūriki fuss in his sleep at the light's brightness hitting his eyelids. The ANBU ignored that as he saw the blue light swirl around the room, just as he imagined it would.

"It's working!" he exclaimed.

However, things quickly went south. Firstly, the glow changed to a mix of evil crimson and dark violet and he felt himself lock in place involuntarily. Second, sparks of pale gray lightning danced around the room; one of the sparks almost hitting him while another whizzed past the baby, barely nicking his hair and making him wake up with a wail at the sudden shock.

The wailing made the ANBU pale behind his mask, knowing that he was going to be in a _lot_ of trouble.

His troubles were just starting, though. The dancing sparks began to multiply, and his inability to move left him vulnerable to dozens of them striking him and making him scream silently; such was the intensity of the pain. His pain left him unfocused, and he failed to see a red haze shielding the crying blonde baby from any further harm.

Finally, the sparks began to swirl around the center of the room, and the ANBU forced himself to look towards it through the pain. His eyes were wide at the sight of space in front of him twisting and distorting before cracks began forming in midair. The cracks grew and spread like spider webs forming at 100x the normal speed, and parts of them broke off and revealed a space of distorted light and color.

A vacuum effect emanated from the cracks, and the overzealous ANBU felt himself being dragged towards it along with the crib. Closer and closer he was dragged, as all thoughts of surpassing one of the most ingenious men in Hidden Leaf history faded away from his mind in favor of trying to survive; but it was a fruitless endeavor.

Just before his body touched the cracks, he whispered, "What have I done…?" before he knew no more.

* * *

Gray eyes stared down blankly at the wailing infant floating before them. They noted the whisker markings that would normally associate to the kitsune yōkai, but they knew that the crying babe was _not_ a yōkai. He was human; one with chakra and a kitsune-like being sealed within him.

It wasn't hard to come to that conclusion, given how easy it was for the gray-eyed individual to sense energy; especially in the nothingness that was the Dimensional Gap. Personally, they preferred to call the place "the Void"; but that was beside the point. What _was_ the point was that this child – this _human_ child – was still alive.

Granted, the being sealed within the baby was more than likely keeping him alive, as shown by the red haze that refused to die down. Still, it was an unexpected interruption; one that was _far_ more welcome than another interruption to their solitude. Just thinking of _him_ made their gray eyes narrow in annoyance; which was saying something since they rarely, if ever, showed any sort of emotion.

Shaking out of their thoughts, the being reached down and grabbed the baby, holding it in small female arms without issue; even with the red haze attempting to corrode their skin. "Be quiet," a soft, feminine voice ordered as a dainty finger poked the crying boy on the forehead, giving him a magical layer of protection from the Void's nothingness that also pushed back the red haze.

With the threat of being erased no longer around, the baby began to calm down his cries. They were whimpers after a few seconds, giving off an occasional sniffle as bright blue eyes looked around the swirling colors that made up the Void. When they locked onto the gray orbs of his carrier, and savior, they seemed to light up with delight as he reached out to the girl holding him in her arms.

She rose a brow at this, finding it odd that he would go from sniffling to practically giggling just at the sight of her. "Humans are so odd," she commented blandly before her pointed ears twitched. Heavy air distortion was heard, and her eyes narrowed faintly as she turned around to see a massive red-scaled dragon that could eclipse a city if it wanted to. "What do you want now?" she asked, her bland tone having a hint of annoyance in it.

The dragon lowered itself and the Void reacted by making a solid surface for it to land on and rest. Its massive head looked to the human child, who was staring at the beast with innocent, childish curiosity. A brave little thing, this one; even if he was crying his head off mere moments ago.

 _ **"** **Where did this one come from?"**_ the dragon asked in a rumbling, masculine voice that echoed across the Void.

The girl was never a fan of associating with the beast, so she answered quickly to get their _chat_ over with. "He arrived in a distortion; more than likely from a space-time technique."

 _ **"And he was able to withstand the Gap's nothingness properties?"**_

"Obviously, seeing as he's still alive," she answered curtly, wishing for the annoyance to leave; and not just her sight, but the Void in general. "Anymore pointless questions? I was going to drop him off somewhere since he's interrupting my silence."

The dragon was tempted to roll his eyes at her words, but he was focused on what her plan was. _**"You would just drop him off without a second thought?"**_

"Yes. He's not my responsibility, and I only gave him the magical protection to silence his crying." She gave the baby a dull look that he giggled innocently at. "It was bothersome."

 _ **"** **Shouldn't you return the hatchling to his family?"**_

"I don't care where I place him, so long as he's no longer a disturbance."

 _ **"** **Rather callous of you, Ophis."**_

"I don't need to hear such judgement from a more _bothersome_ disturbance like you, Red," she fired back, her annoyance showing in her tone and face. "If I had to choose between the two of you, I'd choose this human over you without a moment's pause."

An idea sparked in Red's mind at that, one that would probably be good for the displaced little hatchling. _**"Alright then, how about a wager?"**_

"Now you waste my time with pointless offers?"

 _ **"** **It won't be pointless when you hear what the stakes are,"**_ he pressed, giving her a knowing smirk that made her pause briefly. Good, he had her attention. _**"Seeing as you don't care where the hatchling ends up, and that you'd rather have him here than myself, why don't you raise him?"**_

A small brow rose at the question. "Are you really so brainless as to ask me that?"

 _ **"** **Hear me out, Ophis, before you decide not to do this. If you raise the boy successfully until he's old enough to be on his own, then I'll leave the Gap."**_ He enjoyed how surprised she looked at his offer. _**"But, if you quit, if he isn't properly raised, or if he won't survive on his own without you, then you're stuck with me."**_ And there was the blank look he was so familiar with. _**"What do you say? Do we have a deal, Ophis?"**_

Ophis looked him in the eye before looking down at the baby in her arms. Even now, his little blue eyes where bright as he smiled at her, giggling innocently. The sight made her feel something foreign within herself; something she wasn't sure how to describe, but it strangely helped her make a decision.

Turning back to Great Red, she nodded once and declared, "Deal."

* * *

"Naruto, come here," Ophis called from the main room of a recently refurbished cabin in the woods near Mount Fuji.

"Yes, Ophis," a young boy replied as he walked in from outside. Six years with the Infinity Dragon had done wonders for him, considering how he could've been raised back in his home dimension.

He was a healthy weight and height for a boy his age, he had been instructed in various subjects by Ophis, and he already had a starting grasp on his chakra. He was currently wearing fur clothing that Ophis had made for him after dealing with a rather rude bear that decided to make a meal out of the young blonde.

The bear meat was also quite delicious.

"It's time for your next lesson," Ophis declared, having him sit on the couch in the room while she floated in midair, sitting on nothing with her legs crossed beneath her. "I've already instructed you on the three Factions consisting of Angels, Fallen, and Devils." He nodded once. "Now, we will move onto the yōkai. We'll start with the kitsune race."

"Like the kitsune sealed within me?" he asked for clarification, having been told of the Kyuubi when he was five.

"In a sense. But remember, the entity inside of you is not a true kitsune. It was just given that form when it was made."

"I understand," he replied before he made a request. "Ophis? Could we talk about the Kyuubi some more?"

She rose a brow at that. "For what purpose, Naruto?"

"I feel like I don't know enough about it, even with everything you've told me. I know that it a mass of chakra given a physical form and consciousness, and I understand that its power can be taken through the seal for me to use. But I don't understand why it was sealed into me in the first place. Why was I chosen to carry it?"

"And you wish to discover that reason? What if the answer isn't what you hoped for?"

He paused at that, looking down in thought. "…I still want to know."

She saw the desire in his eyes, and it made her give a soft sigh. "Very well. I will enter your seal once again before I bring you there with me. We will speak to the fox directly."

He nodded and bowed his head. "Thank you."

She said nothing in reply, using her powers to make an astral projection of her form that entered the boy's seal and appeared before the massive bars that held back the vulpine chakra mass. With minimal effort, she then had Naruto's consciousness form beside her and he looked around curiously while she moved over to the bars.

"Kyuubi," she called out, making a single crimson eye open within the darkness, "we desire answers from you."

A deep, echoing growl was the response.

"I could always erase you if you'd prefer," she offered, her expression and tone as bland as it had been for many millennia. "You may be powerful, but your power is limited greatly."

Another growl echoed out before shuffling was heard followed by thunderous footsteps. Stepping into the light, the Kyuubi looked down at the Infinity Dragon and the human beside her, narrowing its eyes at the sight of the child.

 **"Ask your questions then,"** it ordered, annoyance dripping from its tone.

Ophis turned to Naruto, mentally raising a brow at the minimal amount of fear or anxiety that came off of him; though she doubted that he understood what he was feeling. Growing up with an infinitely powerful that barely ever expressed itself would make a child ignorant of what it meant to _feel_ anything, after all.

He stepped up to the fox, and the chakra being glared down at him as he did so. **"Do you fear me, child?"**

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I find myself…hesitant to get any closer than I am now, but I don't understand why."

 **"Wonderful,"** the Kyuubi replied sarcastically. **"A Jinchūriki ignorant to human emotion. Why must my containers always be so aggravating?"**

"Containers? You had others before me?"

 **"I had two before you, with both of them sharing your ancestry. While I loathe humans, I will grudgingly admit that the Uzumaki Clan were a resilient bunch."**

"Uzumaki? What are they?"

 **"They were a people who were nearly wiped out years ago. You carry their blood within you, even if it was only from one of your parents."**

Ophis cut in and asked, "Are his parents alive?"

At this, the Kyuubi smirked. **"No, they're not. I was the one who killed them when my real target,"** the fox locked eyes with Naruto, **"was you."**

"You tried to kill me?" the blonde asked, confused. "Why?"

 **"Because I knew that your damnable father wanted to seal me within you, and I wasn't keen on being trapped inside of my** _ **third**_ **prison. If you had been killed, I would still be free; albeit, not at full strength."**

Naruto frowned at that, thinking over what he had learned. "What of your previous container? What happened to them?" Ophis queried.

 **"I was removed from them on the night this brat was born. His mother was my previous prison and I was forcibly removed from her before being unwillingly controlled by the one who released me. I vaguely remember destroying a large part of the boy's home before I was released from that control. The rest, you know."**

"Not enough. How did his father seal you? What method did he use?"

 **"What good does knowing do for you? And why should I tell you any more than I already have?"**

"Because the lack of knowing will distract him, and I don't need him to be unfocused," Ophis answered. "So, speak."

 **"Tch, damn lizard,"** groused the Bijuu. **"The bastard traded his soul to a Shinigami so that half of my power would be taken from me. He then used a sealing technique to place me in the brat. Don't ask me what seal since I didn't bother to hear it due to trying to kill the brat."**

Ophis hummed thoughtfully, turning to her blonde charge. "What are you thinking?"

"…I don't know. I feel something strange and it's focused on the Kyuubi for some reason," he answered, looking lost.

 **"Heh… Well, look at that; the brat's got his first taste of anger,"** quipped the fox. **"Remember that feeling, boy. It's what you feel when you're mad at someone."**

"Mad? What's that?" the boy asked, making the Bijuu bang its head against the bars.

 **"By the Sage, I'm going to lose my mind talking to this whelp,"** the Bijuu groaned.

"Sage? A user of natural energy is your deity?" Ophis asked.

 **"…You've gotten your answers. Leave me be,"** the Kyuubi ordered before turning around and returning to the shadows.

"Ophis?" Naruto spoke up, getting her attention. "What is anger?"

"An emotion," she answered, cutting the connection and having them return focus to the real world. "It's something that you feel and is usually instinctual."

"I don't get it," he commented honestly. "Was that something I was feeling towards the Kyuubi?"

"The beast was correct in a sense. You _were_ feeling an emotion and it _was_ associated with anger, which is a more negative emotion."

"There are negative emotions?"

"Negative and positive ones, yes. However, a negative emotion could be seen positively, and the other way around as well. For example, someone could be happy over the death of another, which is immoral in the eyes of many people."

He rubbed his head to stave off a growing headache. "This is hard to understand."

"I know. Give it time and you may find it easier to understand. But for now, we have our lesson to resume."

Taking a moment to calm his headache, he nodded and took his seat again. "I'm ready."

"Alright then, the kitsune are a race of yōkai that are in a higher tier of power. They're mostly known for…"

* * *

Ten-year-old Naruto was sitting in a tree, observing a family camping trip. In his pursuit of figuring out _what_ emotions are, he took to observing people whenever the opportunity arose. Ophis was understanding of his desire and allowed it, so long as he didn't leave the forest they lived in.

Strapped to his back was a makeshift bow while a similarly made holster was strapped to his leg, holding a handful of arrows for him to use. When he had turned seven, Ophis had told him that he would be learning how to hunt and gave him various texts on the subject. From those texts, he also learned many survival tips such as fire making, foraging, and shelter crafting. Using those skills, he crafted himself two weapons; a bow and a spear. The spear itself was just a sturdy branch that had been smoothed of any rough patches and had a sharpened stone acting as the spear tip.

While unsuccessful many times at first, he got the hang of hunting within a month after Ophis dropped him off in the middle of the woods and told him to simply _survive_. He had been forced to learn stealth, patience, and deception during his hunts; skills that would be useful even outside of the woodlands.

As he observed the family, he watched the mother looking over a scrape that the youngest child got after he had slipped and fell. As he cried at the pain, the blonde noticed that the cries were quickly dulled when the mother kissed the wound and hugged the child.

"Strange… Do kisses and hugs really make pain go away?" he mused softly, thinking about the times he had been injured. He had been forced to endure the pain and patch himself up during his survival training, and before that, Ophis simply removed his wounds with her power. "Maybe Ophis will know," he assumed before he prepared to leave.

However, he stopped when he saw the adults laughing as their two children chased one another, with the older child poorly behaving like a wild animal and the younger child running away, screaming and giggling. It was such a strange visual to the whiskered blonde and he had no idea what to make of it.

Were the children mentally unwell? Were the adults controlling them somehow and being "amused" at their success?

He didn't know, but he found it as something else to ask Ophis about. So, he headed back to the cabin and arrived to the sight of Ophis doing what she always did; sitting in silence with her eyes closed, as if she were sleeping. The first couple of times he saw her like that, he thought she _was_ sleeping and made attempts to wake her; but he realized that she was simply _appreciating the solitude_ as she liked to call it.

"Finished observing?" she asked, opening her eyes as he entered the cabin.

"Yes, and I have some questions about my findings."

"As expected. Ask."

He described what he had observed first so that she knew what he was talking about before asking, "Does a kiss and a hug really stop pain?"

"Of course not," she shot down immediately. "However, the actions carry an emotional power to them. The child felt safe after his mother did those things, which convinced them that their pain was exactly what it was; insignificant."

He nodded at her words. "Emotions are powerful things," he noted respectfully.

"They can be used to make one stronger or be used _against_ someone else. Someone can force an emotional response out of another, making them vulnerable. At the same time, an emotional person can find themselves bringing out a strength they never knew they had."

"I see… The more I learn about emotions, the more questions I have."

"It's to be expected. Emotions are tricky and illusive things. It's difficult to understand them all in their entirety."

Nodding again, he then moved onto his other observation. "What would cause the family to laugh and show happiness with those strange actions the children were doing?"

"It's a form of enjoyment that many races like to partake in. For adults, they normally find themselves enjoying the sight of children at play. As for the children, it's the activity itself that is enjoyable," she explained.

"Playing… Enjoyment… More things I don't really understand," he replied with a frown.

"What are you feeling?" she asked, finding herself partially invested in his emotional growth.

"Annoyance at how little I truly know… I'm a human, so these things should be simple for me to understand; but I don't. It's…frustrating," he admitted.

She nodded at his answer. "Good. Frustration is a type of anger, and it's a natural emotional response to what you're experiencing. As I said, give it time and you'll understand your emotions deeper. For now, we have your next lesson."

"What am I learning today?" he asked, appreciating the subject change.

"I'm going to start your lessons in history. We'll be focusing on important moments for each of the factions, starting with the Great War between the three. It was this war that lead to the death of the Biblical God, as well as other significant figures."

* * *

 _ **"** **He's grown,"**_ Red commended to Ophis. Only his head was visible thanks to him projecting a powerful illusion so that he could observe Naruto beside his fellow dragon. _**"Physically, at any rate. He's still got some ways to go emotionally."**_

"The wager was for him to be raised so that he could take care of himself," Ophis reminded him, never taking her eyes away from Naruto as he practiced using his chakra. Currently, the ten-year-old was producing a small sphere of pure chakra in his hands, and was working on enlarging and shrinking it at will. "He's figuring out his emotions on his own."

 _ **"** **You and I both know that emotional growth is not something that can be done on your own. Even you didn't really start to understand your own emotions until I started living in the Gap."**_

"You don't have to remind me," she shot back, frowning in annoyance. "I'm not the best source for him to learn from, and the beast within him projects nothing but negative emotions. If he was to understand emotions better, he'd need to be around other humans, but he has no experience with that."

 _ **"** **And whose fault is that?"**_

"Don't patronize me, fool. I've never had to raise anyone or anything before. You would have the same problems as I."

 _ **"** **Perhaps, but you can't deny that he's not ready to go out in the world."**_

The duo saw Naruto stop training with his chakra sphere and work on control, as seen by him attempting to stand atop a small pond. It was something the boy discovered on accident and found himself interested in. It was also somewhat difficult due to how water constantly moved and required constant adjustment of his chakra.

 _ **"** **He needs someone to form a connection with; someone who can bring out the parts he has yet to understand."**_

She frowned at that, thinking over his words. While she normally would just ignore the bothersome dragon, she knew that she was still having difficulties with Naruto's growth. "I need to think on this. Leave."

Red gave an amused huff at that as his image faded away. As soon as he left, Ophis saw Naruto turn to her. "Who was that, Ophis?"

"An annoyance that I hope to be rid of soon," she answered before tensing faintly when she felt the aura around Naruto change.

 **"Feh,"** the Kyuubi snorted, using Naruto's body as a medium to speak through. **"I don't see why you haven't just destroyed that sack of scales. If he's such an annoyance, why do you tolerate him?"**

"Because, beast, our power is equally matched. It'd be a waste of my time to attempt anything when nothing would change."

 **"Well, you could always break the seal on the kid,"** the Bijuu suggested with a fanged smirk, which looked unnatural on Naruto's face. **"Surely, you've felt my power for yourself, even with it sealed away in this excuse of flesh and bone. All you need to do is rip off the seal, set me free, and I'll help you out!"**

She narrowed her eyes at the excitement in the beast's tone. "And what will happen to Naruto once I free you?"

 **"Who cares what happens to him so long as you get your silent world back? Are you really going to let this opportunity go?"**

Eyes still narrowed, she said nothing and stared down the possessed child's red eyes. "What will happen to him? Answer me."

 **"Why do you care?! He's just a brat who's wasting your time! Forget about it and FREE ME!"**

"…No."

 **"WHY?!"** the Bijuu roared, chakra making the shout echo outwards in a soundwave. **"Why are you placing this brat above what you want?! He should mean NOTHING to you!"**

She was silent for a moment, observing the possessed body pant with the explosive shout. "…Normally, you'd be right. I wouldn't care about the well-being of others and would accept a chance to remove Red from the Void."

 **"Then why aren't you-?!"**

"But I've invested too much into this boy," she cut the Kyuubi off, making its crimson eyes widen. "He's a human, sure; but humanity has shown itself to be a race full of potential. A potential that dwarves the likes of Angels, Fallen, Devils, and other factions. I prefer my silence, but," she closed her eyes and gave a faint smirk, "the boy has…grown on me. It wasn't something I expected to happen; but it did. As such, I won't just throw away something I've put my own efforts into; even if it's a mortal."

 **"…"**

"Based on your reactions earlier, I assume that Naruto would be killed upon your removal." The Bijuu said nothing, staring at the ground with Naruto's hair shadowing his possessed eyes. "If that's the case, then I will not free you. If I want to get rid of that annoyance that inhabits my home, I will do so with my own efforts." The boy's fists clenched and shook. "If that means watching over this boy and continuing to raise him, then I will do so; because it was something that _I_ took part in."

 **"…I'd have thought you wouldn't think twice about letting this brat die for your cause,"** the Kyuubi finally replied, ceasing the shaking of Naruto's fists. **"I suppose I'll just have to find another way to free myself from this flesh prison. Still,"** it raised Naruto's head, letting Ophis see the fanged grin and gleaming crimson eyes, **"I suppose the brat won't be so useless with a dragon taking him under their wing. This may actually stave off my boredom; if only slightly."**

"It's not for you, beast," fired back the Ouroboros Dragon. "It's for my cause…and for the boy."

Chuckling, the Bijuu kept up its grin. **"I never thought that an emotionless being would find themselves bonding with someone; let alone this brat."** Control began to return to Naruto, and the Kyuubi gave one last message. **"He won't be able to help you with his own power. Sooner or later…you and he will need me. And I'll be waiting."**

With control given back to him, Naruto stumbled forward to reorient himself due to a dizzy spell. Shaking his head, he took a breath and gave Ophis a dull look. "It always leaves me with a headache whenever the Kyuubi decides to speak up." He massaged his head for a moment before asking, "What did it say?"

Ophis walked over to him, placing a hand on his forehead to drive away his headache with her power. "It offered me a deal to help me get rid of Great Red; the annoyance I spoke of earlier."

"I see," he noted, relieved at what she did for him. "Did you accept it?"

"No."

"But why not? Isn't it something you want?"

"It is, but it was at the cost of your death," she answered, speaking truthfully. He blinked in surprise, making her frown faintly. "It wasn't something I was willing to accept. You're someone I've placed too much time into. I'm not going to waste it."

He looked down thoughtfully. "But then…how will you get rid of Great Red? Am I going to help you?"

"In a way," she replied with a small smirk. "In time, Red will leave on his own and it will be because of how you will have grown."

"And when he does leave…what then?" the boy asked, a slight pause in his query.

"You will stay with me until I deem you ready to go out into the world." She raised a hand and placed it on his head, looking him in the eye with her smirk in place. "You're under my care until I say so, Naruto; so, prepare yourself."

He felt a strange warmth from her hand that moved through him, settling in his core. Without even realizing it, his lips twitched into a smirk that almost matched her own.

With a nod, he replied, "I am prepared, Ophis."

"Good. We will start immediately, then. The years before now will be nothing compared to what I plan to put you through; I guarantee it."

Within the seal, the Kyuubi smirked at what it heard through its host. **"This may be fun…"** it mused with a chuckle that echoed throughout the seal. **"Make the brat into a vessel worthy of the greatest Bijuu, Ouroboros."**

* * *

 **So, what do you guys think?**

 **I've been wanting to do something like this for a while now, and the temptation was eating away at me for WEEKS. So, I gave in because I'm weak…** _ ***anime tears***_

 **Please leave me lots of feedback! I'd love to see how I did in your eyes!**

 **SHOUT OUT TO _fairy tail dragon slayer_ FOR HELPING ME!**

 _ **~pain17ification~**_


	2. Chapter 2: Moving Out

**Thanks a bunch for the support, everyone! Glad you like this story!**

 **Here's the next update!**

 **Also, I'm fortunate enough to have** _ **fairy tail dragon slayer**_ **as a contributor for this story! His help has been greatly appreciated and I'm happy to have him aboard!**

 **Disclaimer: Raymond Smith, known as** _ **pain17ification**_ **, owns nothing**

* * *

 _Mugen_

 _Chapter Two: Moving Out_

* * *

Floating above the snowy woodlands of Mt. Fuji was Ophis, staring down at what she knew was coming. It had been seven years since she had decided to take a more active role in Naruto's growth, and much had unexpectedly happened during that time.

Her gray eyes darted to the side when she heard the sound of trees being felled, accompanied by an echoing roar. She saw a yellow blur move through the treetops before a large black mass followed, breaking apart and toppling trees in its wake.

Down below, the yellow blur stopped for a moment on a high branch, blue eyes looking back without an ounce of fear. They locked on the rage-filled brown eyes of a black bear that was abnormally massive. Turning in place, he instantly targeted the bear and released an arrow that struck it in the shoulder, doing nothing more than anger it further.

As soon as he had fired the arrow, Naruto kicked off the tree he was on just as the bear barreled through it. Reaching out, he grabbed another branch and used it to swing his body upwards, evading the bear again and free to attack from midair. Floating in place and nocking back two arrows, he fired at the bear's back before quickly holstering his bow and pulling his spear from the harness on his back.

Using chakra to solidify the falling snow in midair, he kicked off and dived towards the enraged mammal, infusing chakra into the spear tip just as it pierced the flesh. Digging in a few inches, he had one hand hold onto the spear while the other clenched itself into a fist and reared back.

With barely a grunt of effort, he struck the bear's back and unloaded a burst of chakra, sending an explosive force of pure energy that snapped the bear's spine. The pain-filled roar it gave echoed across the mountains and it didn't have the strength to stay on its feet; falling with enough force to cause a tremor for half a mile.

Pulling out his spear, the young man leapt off the back of his downed target and walked across the snow-covered earth towards its head. It weakly growled at him, but he ignored it in favor of taking a glance at the Ouroboros mark that it had in its eyes. He said nothing, maintaining a level expression as he lifted the spear to the bear's face, making it growl louder. Without any hesitation, he lunged forward and drove the spear through the bear's head, piercing the brain with ease and making it give a weak exhale before it stopped moving entirely.

The young man let go of his weapon, leaving it inside of the dead animal as Ophis landed on the snow beside him; her feet making a crunching sound against the frozen ground. "A clean kill," she noted. "I'm impressed."

"You enhanced it," he accused stoically, his voice deeper now that he had matured into a young adult.

"I did, and it was a useful way to test you. Though, I doubt much else here will be too difficult for you to handle." She took a look at him, having to raise her gaze since he was much taller than her childlike form. "…How is your arm?"

He turned back to her for a moment before looking to his right arm. Unlike the rest of his peach tinted skin, his right arm was considerably pale; with a scar that separated the two skin tones from one another. He flexed it a couple of times as he answered, "It feels natural."

"And no more recoils?"

"Not since the first time, no."

What they were talking about was when Naruto had tried to first use chakra bursts through his limbs. He had succeeded, sure; but the first "success" backlashed on his arm and it had exploded from the force of his chakra. From the elbow down, it was just gone and his body had gone into shock at the sudden trauma.

The Kyuubi had been especially annoyed at the boy's recklessness; blaming the Infinity Dragoness for putting the idea into his head. The Bijuu would've left the Uzumaki crippled to teach him a lesson, but it had been surprised when Ophis presented an alternative solution.

With almost frightening casualness, she had ripped off her own right arm and held it in place, using her power to coax Naruto's chakra and natural healing to connect them together. The Kyuubi had helped after getting over its initial surprise; intrigued at what the new DNA would do for its host.

Turns out, it did more than the fox had anticipated. Aside from the different skin coloration, the boy had gained several new abilities that he shared with Ophis.

Like her, he had an immunity to the negative effects of the Void and grew stronger when he was inside for extended periods. He was also able to shapeshift like she could; though he rarely ever did so. The most he did was make his ears pointed like hers while his eyes held slitted pupils.

Telepathy was something that Ophis could perform; but they weren't sure if Naruto had gained the same ability since they stayed on the mountain in solitude. There was no rush, though. He was able to fly as well; something he took to with some difficulty, but had down pat.

Lastly, he could manifest his chakra and magical energies in the form of snakes and use them just like the Infinity Dragoness; blessing others with immense power or corrupting them with his chakra acting as a poison.

The seven years did more than just give him dragon's blood, though. It provided him with an intense physical regiment that Ophis put him through; one that put him well at his physical peak and beyond. He was also made aware of many different facts concerning the Three Religious Factions (Angels, Fallen, and Devils), Yōkai species, different mythos, and even some of the Human groups like the Hero Faction.

Another subject Naruto devoted much of his time to was his chakra usage. The Kyuubi had informed him over the years that his chakra pool was massive, and it was only growing larger as he aged and trained. That meant that he needed to focus on controlling it and maintaining control; though his new dragon blood did nothing to help in that regard. In fact, it only made it more difficult for the Uzumaki.

In terms of techniques with chakra, he had no jutsu that the ninjas of his home world were known for. He could augment his body with chakra, could send it out in explosive bursts of raw power, create solid spheres that he could thrust or fire for concussive blasts, and – on an accidental discovery – could create extendable arms or chakra that had clawed hands at the ends.

The Kyuubi was surprisingly helpful as well; though it defended its help by saying it had "no use for a weak container". It offered Naruto the option to use its chakra if needed; though the Uzumaki didn't have a need to do so.

"What was the lesson today, Ophis?" Naruto asked. "Or was this just a test of my physical ability?"

"The latter. Your lesson will actually be conducted by someone else." Raising a curious brow, the blonde gave her a silent query. "The two of us will be going to see a true Kyuubi that has resided in the Japanese city of Kyoto for quite some time. She is known as the leader of the Yōkai Faction."

"Yasaka," Naruto deduced. "You told me of her years ago." Ophis nodded in confirmation. "What is it that you wish her to teach me?"

"In due time, Naruto. For now, take a moment to clean off the bear blood you have on you. We'll be leaving when you're freshened up."

Nodding, the Uzumaki head back to their cabin, leaving the Void Dragoness alone with the deceased bear. Placing her hand on its head, she removed the power that she had instilled into the creature; the power itself taking on the manifestation of a black ethereal snake. Without any effort, she reabsorbed the snake and headed off after her charge.

As she walked away, the bear fizzled away into nothingness, not leaving anything behind except for the arrows and spear that Naruto had hit it with. The ammunition and weapon would be left in the snowy woodlands for some would-be traveler to discover in the future.

* * *

For the Yōkai Faction's leader, the sight of a dragon and a human arriving unannounced into her home merely caused her to raise a brow. She had known of Ophis for many years, having spoken with her during the past near two decades to discuss the many Yōkai species.

When asked why such discussion was needed, the Infinity Dragoness only said that it was _necessary_. The answer confused the kitsune woman, but she didn't dwell on it; knowing that Ophis had no interest in dealing with mortal beings. The dragoness had stated on multiple occasions that she preferred solitude, after all.

However, seeing the human standing beside Ophis brought back that previous confusion; especially when she could smell a healthy mix of dragon scent mixed with his natural human one. She absently noted that his ears and eyes were also like that of a dragon taking human form.

"Ophis," greeted the woman, giving a bow. "This is unexpected. Are you here to discuss more about Yōkai?"

Shaking her head, the goddess turned to her charge briefly before turning back to Yasaka. "I'm here to have my charge get acquainted on certain things that he'll need to know for the future."

"Your charge?" repeated Yasaka, looking to her fellow blonde's impassive face; an expression she had seen many times on Ophis's face. "I was unaware that you had taken a human under your care."

"Not by initial choice," confessed Ophis. "However, for these past seven years, I've taken a more active approach to this role. Yasaka, this is Naruto Uzumaki, a human that is capable of using chakra." This made the kitsune woman raise a brow in interest. "He also has a construct of pure chakra and consciousness sealed within him; one that has taken the form of your race and holds immense power."

"A Kyuubi based chakra construct?" the Yōkai leader mused, turning her gaze back to Naruto.

Taking time to get a better look at him, she started to mentally note his features. He had blonde hair that seemed to be kissed by the sun and spiked outward like its solar rays. His blue eyes were deeply colored like the vast oceans, the slit pupils acting as metaphorical abysses. Marking his cheeks were whisker markings similar to that of a kitsune; more than likely due to the fox-based entity sealed within him.

For clothes, he wore fur and hide leather; bear being the source based on the scent. His feet were bare, he wore furred shorts that reached his knees, and a leather vest that looked to be cured acceptably. Finishing off his look was his discolored right forearm, the bow strapped to his back, and the quiver tied to his right leg; showing he either preferred or was right-handed.

And just like the Ouroboros Dragon, he held a blank expression on his face.

"Intriguing," she finally stated. "Young man, would you mind displaying your chakra and that of the beast within you? I'm curious as to how your natural and borrowed powers express themselves."

Giving a side glance to his caretaker and seeing her nod faintly, he called on his chakra. In an instant, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy as his chakra began to pressurize the very air with its density. His form gained a faint blue outline that had flame-like wisps flicker in random intervals. The Uzumaki kept it up for a few moments and showed no strain in his continuous output of power.

"Enough," commanded Ophis, and he complied in an instant. A couple of seconds later, and the chakra in the air was brought back into the blonde hybrid. "Yasaka, you will need to brace yourself for this."

 _ **"She has no idea what I'm capable of,"**_ the Kyuubi commented in Naruto's mind, sounding amused.

Raising a brow, she complied and waited for the inevitable. When it came, she felt the space within the chamber become corroded as red aura surrounded the Jinchūriki, forming a single tail and a pair of fox ears made of pure Bijuu chakra. She also noted that his blue eyes had turned bloody crimson and that the slit pupils elongated, sharpening to a more kitsune based look than a dragon.

"The chakra of the beast eats away at organic matter, corroding whatever it comes into contact with. It takes incredible resistance to negate that damaging effect," Ophis explained, silently telling Naruto to pull back the chakra. "While Naruto has decent control over his power and that of the Kyuubi, he needs an instructor to help him get a better understanding of it."

"So, why come to me?" the nine-tailed vixen queried. "I'm familiar with demonic power; not chakra."

"Did you not offer sanctuary to a nekoshō survivor recently?" the petite goddess asked back rhetorically. "It was my understanding that she also had knowledge of senjutsu, correct?"

"Why ask what you already know?"

"I wish to relieve you of her so that she may instruct Naruto."

Yasaka was silent at this, thinking over the pros and cons of introducing the young Yōkai to her two guests. After a few moments, she formed an illusionary double of herself that went off to fetch the woman in question.

While they waited, Yasaka directed a question to the hybrid. "Tell me, Naruto-san, what is it that you wish to use your natural gifts for?"

He was silent, prompting her to continue.

"Do you wish to use them for selfish means?"

No response.

"To protect others?"

Nothing.

"Or…do you not even know what you're building yourself up for?" she finally finished, staring him dead in the eye.

For the first time since meeting him, she saw Naruto's face show an expression of thoughtfulness. His brows slowly furrowed as he thought up a response.

When he found one, he replied, "I'm doing what I can so that Ophis can have her home back."

"And after?" Yasaka immediately asked, making him fall short. "Your whole life has been spent in dedication to Ophis; but what will you do when she returns to the Void? Will you stay with her until you finally pass? It will be a very uneventful existence; not to mention a wasted one."

"What are you getting at?" he cut in, making her smile.

"So, you _can_ think for yourself. Good, I was honestly worried." She shot Ophis a quick look before continuing, "You're doing all of this for a goal that isn't your own. Why go to all of this trouble when you will gain nothing in the end?"

"Because it is all I've known," he answered truthfully. "I only know that I must prove myself to Great Red so that he may leave the Void. Beyond that…I don't know."

Ophis frowned faintly at this, not having needed to think of what would happen to her charge after the deal with Red was finished. She only needed to focus on fulfilling that deal and getting her home back; so, having Yasaka ask these questions forced her to consider what could happen.

The conversation was halted when the door to the chamber opened up and a woman close to Naruto's age stepped in. She was a nekoshō with black hair and amber eyes, dressed in a black kimono that had a yellow obi and matching sandals. Her neko features were visible, ears poking through her hair and twin tails swaying as she walked.

Curiously glancing at the two strangers, she turned to Yasaka and bowed respectfully. "You requested me, Yasaka-sama?"

"Yes. Kuroka, I'd like to introduce you to Ophis," she ignored the surprised look on the nekoshō's face, "and her charge, Naruto Uzumaki. You've been requested to instruct Naruto on how to use chakra."

"Chakra…?" repeated Kuroka curiously before she let her senses sharpen. In an instant, she felt the immense chakra that practically radiated from the blonde male. She also smelt the scents of foxes, dragon, and forests coming from him. "I see."

"Will you and Naruto-san be staying in Kyoto for his lessons?" Yasaka asked Ophis.

"No. I'll be returning to where we've been staying. As for Naruto, I'd prefer to have him and Kuroka set out while she teaches him."

"What?" both blondes asked while Kuroka stayed silent, knowing that she was in the presence of three powerhouses.

"You're…sending me away?" Naruto continued, looking thoroughly confused. "I don't understand…"

"In order for you and I to fully show Red that you can take care of yourself, you need to experience the world for yourself. To do this, I want you and Kuroka to travel so that you can experience life without my influence."

"But, I thought I wasn't ready?"

"No, you aren't," she agreed. "However, you will _never_ be ready unless you move out on your own. You're human, Naruto; even if it's only partially with my blood in you."

Kuroka looked shocked at this while Yasaka merely smirked at her assumption being right.

"And as a human," Ophis continued, "you need to make your own strides and mistakes, learn from them, and grow into your own person. You cannot do that staying with me until you die. As Yasaka said," she gave the vixen a glance, "it'd be a wasted life; and I refuse to have my efforts be wasted." She gave the young man a faint smirk. "Even if I was the one that almost wasted them."

He frowned at this, unsure of how to respond to what she had said. His whole life had been in the presence of Ophis, learning from her and growing under her guidance. He had been told that he wasn't ready to help her finish her deal with Red, but he never thought that leaving her side would help him _be_ ready.

She needed him to understand his humanity, and he wasn't sure if he could.

"What are you feeling?"

That question. It was one he remembered her asking the most over the seventeen years he had lived with her. It brought a sense of familiarity that he appreciated.

"I feel confused, concerned, and…anxious?" he answered, sounding unsure at the end.

"Explain."

The two Yōkai in the room silently watched the exchange, Kuroka being sure to pay close attention if she was to travel with the blonde hybrid.

"I'm confused as to how learning about humanity will help us confront Great Red. I'm concerned that I will not succeed in whatever it is you expect, or hope, for me to do. And I believe it's anxiety that has me looking forward to this as I feel the first two emotions."

"It is," Yasaka confirmed, making him turn to her. "This will be good for you, Naruto-san. I believe I understand what Ophis and Great Red have wagered, and I know that seeing the outside world will help you discover more of your own human nature. You can't say that you can look after yourself if you don't understand what you feel about your life or the world around you."

Kuroka nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, Whiskers. We'll help you find your humanity, nya!"

Her declaration was followed by an adorable verbal tic that earned an amused look from Yasaka while Ophis and Naruto didn't react. Turning back to his caretaker, Naruto asked, "Is this really the best method to help me?"

Nodding, Ophis answered, "Yes. You've observed humans whenever you could and tried to figure out emotions through them; but it won't be nearly as efficient as experiencing and deciphering them yourself. Theory will only take you so far."

Slowly, he nodded in understanding. "Alright, Ophis. If you say it's for the best, then I'll do it."

She nodded once more while Yasaka stood up from her seat and clapped her hands together. "Excellent. Now, I'll have some of my vassals fetch you some supplies for your journey and get you some more suitable clothes. Kuroka," the nekoshō turned to her, "go gather your belongings and be ready in an hour. We have a lot of preparations to do for this."

"Yes, Yasaka-sama," Kuroka replied with a bow before leaving the chamber, giving Naruto one last look just before fully exiting.

"I'll go make sure that things go smoothly for your departure," Yasaka continued before she too began to leave the chamber. "One of my vassals will take you to me when you're finished speaking with Ophis, Naruto-san."

When the vixen was gone and the two were left alone, Ophis allowed herself to give Naruto another faint smirk. "You've done well over the years I've raised you, Naruto. I can truly say that I find myself…fond of the experience. Part of me is even…grateful that you wound up in the void years ago."

Hearing her say that brought a warmth to him, making him return her smirk with a small smile. "I'm grateful for that as well, Ophis. I appreciate all that you have done for me, and I will try to fulfill your expectations."

"I know. One thing I have seen consistently in humans is that they are resilient; something that you have shown multiple times as you grew up. I will await the day you return to me."

She finished her speech by stepping up to him, reaching her hand up to rest against his cheek. It was something she had seen a mother do for her child during one of her shared observations with Naruto. From what she understood, having raised and taken care of Naruto made her the equivalent of a mother to him.

It explained why she felt a true connection to him, and why she denied the offer the Kyuubi made to her seven years ago; the one that would result in Naruto's death. That bond had grown stronger when she gave her very blood and limb to him, making the notion of being his mother all the more legitimate.

It was this bond that also opened her eyes and see that he unconsciously looked to her with total trust and respect; perhaps even affection, but not in a romantic sense.

She gave his cheek a pat while her smirk turned into a faint smile. "Return to me as both a dragon _and_ a human, Naruto," she bid before she vanished, as if ceasing to exist.

Alone in the chamber, Naruto replied aloud, "I will, Ophis."

 _ **"** **Well, wasn't that just touching?"**_ the Kyuubi commented, once again in amusement. _**"And here I thought that she would never realize just how deep a connection the two of you truly have."**_

 _'But she does realize; as do I.'_

 _ **"You might think you do, but not fully. Go and associate with those weak humans and you will finally understand in time, boy."**_

 _'Even you think this is for the best?'_ Naruto asked curiously, leaving the chamber and having one of Yasaka's vassals take him to her.

 _ **"** **My personal opinion is for you to unleash both my power and yours so that the rest of the world will see just how weak they are in comparison. But, I know that you won't do that since it will go against what that lizards wishes of you."**_

 _'But how do you feel about me interacting with other humans?'_

 _ **"** **I'm impartial to it. I know that you will need to do this so that you can grow as a human, but I also know that this will weaken you at the same time. Humanity is weak, and that weakness is like a poison that will infect you in time. I do not look forward to seeing you, a representative of my power, being weakened by humans; but I will need to tolerate it for now."**_

 _'I see… If I can, I will try not to become a victim of this "weakness" you seem to despise, Kyuubi.'_

 _ **"** **I doubt that you'll succeed, but at least you'll be aware of it for the future."**_

With that, the Bijuu went silent while Naruto was aided by various Yōkai in his preparations. He would need to be ready, for this would be the most difficult challenge he would have to face.

After all, how difficult would it be for a man raised by Nothingness to find his humanity?

* * *

 **Well…this took a long time, didn't it?**

 **For the record, I'm REALLY sorry about that, everyone. I've been distracted lately by many things; but at the same time, I've made no efforts to really apply myself to this site lately.**

 **I know that it's not much of an excuse, but I'll try harder though; I promise. I just need to get things sorted out first.**

 **Anyway, I hope that you all liked this update. I also hope that you will stay tuned for more updates.**

 **I'd also like to thank** _ **fairy tail dragon slayer**_ **again for his help.** _ **Dylan Millwood**_ **was also a major help, and he's been a constant friend and aide for more than just this story.**

 **Thanks a lot, guys! ^_^**

 **Until next time!**

 _ **~pain17ification~**_


	3. Chapter 3: The Unlikeliest of Heroes

**Before this update starts, I want you guys to know about the pairing of this story.**

 **Originally, my plan was to pair Naruto with Kuroka, but then I had an interesting thought pass through my mind that was too tempting to let pass. For the fans of Kuroka, don't worry; she's still gonna be a major character in this story and will get with Naruto to an extent.**

 **It'd just be more of a "friends with benefits" type of relationship that MAY grow into a deeper connection.**

 **Now, the woman I'm choosing is a character named Olga Discordia from** _ **Kuroinu ~ Kedakaki Seijo wa Hakudaku ni Somaru ~**_

 **Before anyone ruins it; yes, this woman is from a hentai series. I'm not ashamed to admit that I watch those, and this is my decision. If it bothers you, then you don't need to continue reading this story.**

 **That is all.**

 **Disclaimer: Raymond Smith, known as** _ **pain17ification**_ **, owns nothing**

* * *

 _Mugen_

 _Chapter Three: The Unlikeliest of Heroes_

* * *

"There," Yasaka declared, smirking at the newly dressed Uzumaki. "Now, you don't look like some wildling dweller."

"…But I did dwell in the wilds all my life," he commented in slight confusion.

She sighed at the statement going over his head. "I meant that you look like you don't live there anymore. The clothes suit you, also."

He was dressed in some sandals made of thick material that left his toes and heels exposed, a pair of black pants with large pockets, and a golden colored, kimono styled shirt that had a black obi to hold it closed. There was no undershirt, letting anyone see his chest with how loose the shirt was worn, and the black outline complimented the gold coloring. On the back of the kimono, Yasaka had her seam workers stitch in a dragon and fox coiling around one another in an infinity symbol. To finish off his look, a new bow rested on his shoulder and an equally new quiver was strapped to his right leg.

"I don't know anything about clothes, other than that they cover private parts of the body," Naruto admitted, earning a sweatdrop from Yasaka.

"Right… A-Anyway," she awkwardly continued, "I'll have someone escort you and Kuroka out of the city so you can get started on your journey. Kuroka will also be given supplies for you both to share."

He nodded in understanding. "I appreciate what you're doing to help me, Yasaka."

She smirked as some of her guards looked affronted at his casual use of her name. "Think nothing of it. I find myself curious about what you'll discover in the end. Will you find your humanity, or will it remain hidden from you? It's not every day that I see someone with your potential go on a journey of self-discovery."

He hummed in response, following her to another room where Kuroka was waiting for them. She perked up at his new look, giving a small grin. "Nya, Whiskers looks so handsome!"

He blinked at the compliment. "…Whiskers? You called me that earlier. Is it because of my birth markings?"

"Obviously, nya. Are you ready to go, Whiskers?"

"My name is Naruto."

"I know that, nya! I prefer _Whiskers_ though."

"…" He didn't have a response to that, unsure of what to do.

"It's called a nickname," Yasaka explained. "They could be used positively or negatively, depending on how they're said and how they're received. For example, Kuroka's nickname for you could be seen offensively by other races."

"I see… I suppose my lessons start now, then," he mused, earning a sweatdrop from Kuroka while Yasaka looked amused.

"Good luck with this one, Kuroka. You're going to have your hands full," the Kyuubi of Kyoto teased, earning a pout from the nekoshō.

"Not funny, Yasaka-sama…"

Poor Naruto was left pondering what was being said.

* * *

"Okay, nya! Let's get going!" cheered Kuroka, her naturally happy aura making her excited for the journey ahead. Her neko features were hidden from those who were unaware of the many factions (namely ignorant humans).

Behind her, Naruto calmly walked without bothering to hide his unique features. He didn't see the point in doing so; but that was to be expected considering who his caretaker was. Like Ophis, Naruto didn't care about revealing himself to others. If they freaked out, it wouldn't matter; so long as they left him alone, anyway.

"Where are we going first?" he asked.

"I was hoping to make a stop at a town called Kuoh. I need to check on something there, nya."

"Which way is Kuoh, then?"

"Well, Kyoto is in the Kansai Region of Japan… Kuoh is in the Kanto Region, which is east of Kansai."

He looked up, checking the position of the sun briefly before turning east and walking. It was so abrupt that Kuroka paused for a few moments, just watching Naruto uncaringly walk through the streets and piss off a bunch of humans driving around in their cars. Shaking out of her slight stupor, she rushed after him.

"You can't just walk straight east just because I said _east_ , nya!" she called as she chased after him, making the scene even more bizarre to any outside viewer.

From one of the rooftops of the buildings outside of Kyoto, a pair of red eyes narrowed at the Yōkai chasing after an unknown blonde. The owner of those red eyes was a woman with blonde hair tied in a tail on her left side while a thick bang framed her face on the right. Her skin was an exotically dark tone, and was flawless in complexion. Her form was hidden beneath a thick cloak that had its hood down, but one could see brown boots that led up to dark blue leggings.

She raised up a hand, producing a glowing pink glyph on her palm. "Ojou-sama," she called into the glyph.

 _"What is it, Chloe?"_ a refined female voice replied. _"Have you spoken to Yasaka yet?"_

"No, I'm just outside of Kyoto. There are too many patrols for me to get past, and I didn't want to give them the wrong message."

 _"Then what is it? I told you only to contact me after you've spoken to Kyoto's Kyuubi."_

"There's an unknown that has left Kyoto in the company of a neko woman. From what I can sense, the neko has tapped into senjutsu, Ojou-sama."

 _"Senjutsu? That power is associated with nature itself, yes?"_

"Yes, Ojou-sama. However, it was the unknown that caught my attention first."

 _"Explain."_

"It was a male; blonde with a discolored right arm. Most likely, the arm didn't belong to him at first and was fused to his body. He has markings on his face that could link to kitsune, but he didn't give off their natural energy signature."

 _"What did you sense from him?"_

"That's just it, Ojou-sama; I _couldn't_ sense anything from him. It was as if he wasn't there at all."

 _"…You're sure of this?"_

"Yes, fully certain. I wouldn't have noticed him if I didn't see him."

 _"Disregard your earlier assignment and follow the unknown. If what I guess is true, we won't need the help of the Yōkai with our problem."_

"At once, Ojou-sama. Do I make contact?"

 _"Observe them first; particularly the unknown. Report anything curious that you find back to me. If nothing happens in a week, make contact and convince them to come to Eostia."_

"Yes, Ojou-sama," Chloe replied, dispelling the glyph and following after the neko woman. She was following the unknown, so following her would lead Chloe to him.

* * *

A couple days of "proper" travel passed for Naruto and Kuroka. She couldn't help but be both exasperated and impressed that he didn't hesitate to go straight through to Kanto; regardless of what was in his way physically. She still couldn't get over how he walked into a large corporate building, strolled past all their security without issue, and exited out the back door just to keep going straight east.

Yasaka was right; she had some work ahead of her.

"Isn't this better than just walking to Kanto, nya?" Kuroka asked as she stood beside Naruto in a subway.

"No," he answered immediately, frowning in distaste at the cramped feeling the subway car had. "There're too many people in this thing. It's congesting."

"This is the quickest method to get there, Whiskers."

"Incorrect. Devils like yourself have the ability to teleport wherever they desire; so long as they've been there before."

She had to give him that one.

"Why are we in this suffocating place when we could arrive in Kanto instantly?" he continued, raising a brow.

"…I didn't want to rush things, nya," she lamely argued, not wanting to admit that it would've been a better idea than their current mode of transportation.

"Rush things…? Things can be rushed?"

She perked up at the bye she was getting. "Yep! If you're too hasty, things get rushed and could lead to bigger problems. Sometimes, it's best to take things slow, nya."

"Take things slow," he repeated, frowning thoughtfully. "Does this pertain to my _journey of self-discovery_ as Yasaka labeled it?"

"Absolutely," the neko woman answered sincerely. "You're trying to realize your humanity, and you can't do that in an instant. You need to take your time and see for yourself what makes you _human_." She gave him a rare serious expression as she finished, "This journey will be more difficult than figuring out what emotions are. Everyone needs moments to find themselves; and many of them never do before they die, nya."

"I see… I have…much to think about," he replied hesitantly, his thoughts a mess after what his traveling companion had just stated.

Masking her presence some paces behind them, Chloe listened in on their conversation and found herself both confused and intrigued by what had been said. _'An unknown that is part human… And he's trying to find meaning in that human side. But, what else is he?'_

Kuroka tensed and looked around with narrowed eyes, her pupils thinning and taking a more feline appearance. Turning to Naruto, she saw that he looked as expressionless as ever and she was about to warn him before he cut her off.

"I sensed them before you did. Whoever is near us is no concern."

"No concern?" she repeated incredulously. "They could be a spy from another faction, or someone out to hunt us."

"I fail to see how I would be hunted since I've only been away from my home for a few days."

"Okay, hunt _me_ down, then," she relented, slightly annoyed. "I'm not exactly _free as a bird_ , nya. I've got a target on my back."

He leaned over to peer at her back, making her palm her face.

"It's a figure of speech, Whiskers… It means that I'm wanted by authority figures because of past actions."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a Stray Devil," she answered, and he nodded in understanding.

"Ophis told me about those. So, you left your [King] then?"

"Not quite. I killed him," she admitted easily. "I had my reasons for doing so…"

"And I honestly don't care about them. You could've been out for his power, and it wouldn't matter to me. The affairs of the Three Factions are no concern of mine."

She couldn't help but give a faint smile at that. While his words may have been cruelly blunt, he still said that he didn't care if she was a criminal. That alone reassured her that she'd be safe in his company.

Getting back on track, she asked, "Where are they at?"

"Behind us," he answered calmly, looking over his shoulder to lock eyes with a dark-skinned woman with red eyes. "She's been listening in on our talk."

Knowing that there was no point in eavesdropping anymore, Chloe squeezed through the crowded subway car and approached them. "I suppose it was foolish trying to stay hidden around a neko. You probably smelled me for a while now."

"More or less, nya," Kuroka affirmed with a small frown. "What do you want? Here to bring me in?"

"No, I don't work for or associate with Devils. I serve someone else, and they would request the assistance of you and your," she turned to Naruto, taking in his features for a moment, "companion."

"My help?" Kuroka repeated in surprise. She was a criminal after all, and criminals weren't exactly called on for help with anything.

"Yes, both of you. Truthfully, I was supposed to wait until a week before I contacted you; but, I guess I got too close before the week was up."

"Why do you need our help?" Naruto asked, raising a curious brow. "From what I can see, you're a Dark Elf. They rarely seek outside aid."

Kuroka, having never heard of Dark Elves before, looked interested in the answer as well.

"My Queen has slowly been losing power as of late, and the Yōkai that live in her lands are beginning to revolt against her. The strange phenomenon with our Queen has also been affecting the others of my race; slowly making us more and more vulnerable to a civil war."

"So, you were sent to find able bodies to put down those revolts," mused Naruto.

"Yes, but also to possibly find a way to deal with whatever is causing us to lose our power." She turned to Kuroka and continued, "Originally, I had been ordered to seek aid from Yasaka of Kyoto; but I was able to feel the natural energy around you. I assume it's senjutsu that you can call upon, correct?"

Kuroka frowned dangerously, nodding slowly. "Yes… It is. What of it?"

"My Queen believes that your familiarity with natural energy could help find the source of whatever is weakening us. We'd compensate you for whatever help you would give us; but we must leave soon before it's too late."

"What about Whiskers?" Kuroka asked, gesturing to Naruto. "Why only ask for my help?"

"Whiskers…? Is…that your name?" Chloe asked unsurely, earning a dry look from her fellow blonde.

"No, it isn't. My name is Naruto Uzumaki." He hesitated for a moment, debating if he should add anything before he decided it wouldn't hurt the situation. "I was raised by Ophis of the Void."

Chloe's eyes widened significantly at those words. All races throughout the world knew of the two legendary dragons Great Red and Ophis. Many believed they were a myth; but, if what the blonde before her said was true, then it would explain why she couldn't feel anything from it.

After all, Ophis was rumored to have power of Nothingness itself; having been given the title of Infinite Dragon Goddess due to being _born_ from the Void itself.

She swallowed nervously as she nodded to him. "W-We'd request your aid as well, then. You'll be compensated like neko-san."

"Kuroka," said neko informed the Dark Elf.

"Yes, of course. Will you both assist my people and my Queen?"

Kuroka looked to Naruto for a moment. "What do you think about all of this?"

"This matter doesn't concern me," he answered honestly. "I can't see a reason to help."

"Not all choices are made on reason," the Stray Cat explained. "Some choices are based on emotional response to a situation."

"But I can't feel anything for this situation."

"I know, nya," Kuroka replied with an understanding smile. "So, look at it this way. If the Dark Elves are usurped by the other Yōkai, their race could be wiped out like mine almost was."

"That only explains why you're invested in this crusade," he pointed out.

"Let me finish, Whiskers. You've been taught so much by Ophis-sama, but there are still many more things for you to learn and see. If the Dark Elves are gone," she paused to let it sink in for a moment, "then that's an entire people that you could've learned from."

Chloe was tempted to pray to some of the gods that Kuroka's words got through to Naruto. If he offered his aid, then her people were practically guaranteed safety.

Naruto frowned thoughtfully, looking down as he considered Kuroka's explanation. It was true that there was much he could still learn; despite having a dragon goddess raising him for so long. Ophis even needed to speak with Yasaka about Yōkai just so he could have a better understanding of them, after all.

So, he looked back up at the two women and nodded once. "Very well. I'll help you with this, Kuroka."

The nekoshō clapped her palms together with a smile. "Nya~! I knew Whiskers would pull through for me!"

Chloe sighed in relief, giving the blonde hybrid a grateful smile. "Thank you for this, Naruto-san. Now, at the next stop, we should get off this transport so I could bring you to Eostia."

"Which region of Japan are your people hidden in?" Kuroka asked curiously.

"The Tōhoku Region; north of Kanto."

Nodding, Kuroka looked determined to get this done. She felt for the Dark Elves, understanding how the situation could lead to their genocide; just like her people. She couldn't let that happen to another race.

So, she and Whiskers would get this done before heading for Kuoh. She still needed to check on her baby sister.

* * *

Standing in her personal study was the Queen of the Dark Elves. Like her people, she had dark skin that was smooth, flawless, and beautiful. Her figure could be the envy of women all over, and her choice of dress did nothing to lessen that fact; considering how open it was.

She wore black heels that led up to purple leggings that looked like armor. The leggings were purple in color and stopped just below her hips. Covering her privates was a thin thong that attached to symmetrical pieces of the same cloth her legs wore. These pieces did little more that support her breasts, covering the underside and nipples while leaving the top portions bare. On her arms were more pieces of the armored purple clothing, stretching from her wrists to her upper forearms. Finishing off her look was a high-collared black cape that split into nine separate tails, colored red on the inside with armored shoulders while a forked black scepter with a reddish-pink gem core was held in her hand.

Her amber eyes looked over some opened scrolls and tomes that rested on a stone table, illuminated by multiple candles so that she could read clearly. Her slender brows were narrowed in growing frustration as she poured over her study's library, trying to find a source that explained what was happening to her kingdom.

"There must be an answer," she muttered, setting her scepter aside so she could pick up a scroll with both hands and read it more thoroughly. "Something… Anything!"

She was about to toss the scroll aside in anger before a magic circle appeared on the floor on the other side of the table. She needed only a glance to see that it bared the emblem of her kingdom, which was why she didn't bother to raise up her guard at all. However, she raised a curious brow when she saw her most trusted subordinate arriving with two newcomers; a neko woman and a blonde man who gave off no form of energy to sense.

Deducing that these were the people Chloe had informed her of a couple of days ago, she moved around the stone table to greet them.

"Welcome to Eostia," Chloe informed the other two after giving her Queen a bow in greeting. "Standing before you is Olga Discordia; first of her name, Queen of the Dark Elves, and protector of Eostia."

Kuroka gave the woman a respectful bow in greeting while Naruto's gaze was focused on inspecting the new location. Chloe frowned at his disrespect, but Olga stopped her with a wave of her hand. "I thank you both for offering your assistance in this matter. As you can see, I've continuously looked for an answer to my kingdom's concern; but I have yet to find an answer."

"Your scout told us as much, nya," Kuroka noted. "I'm not sure what you want us to look for, but we'll do what we can, Discordia-sama."

Naruto finally turned his full attention to the Queen, looking his slit blue eyes with her amber orbs. She saw nothing in them; much like _her_ eyes long ago when she was but a child. "I see Ophis-sama in you," she commented. "Tell me, what is your relation to the Goddess of the Void?"

"She raised me," Naruto answered stoically. "I was found in the Void as an infant and made a wager with Great Red to train me and raise me so that I may be able to take care of myself."

Olga raised a brow once more, this time with unhidden interest. "And what were the stakes of this wager?"

"If I can prove to Great Red that Ophis raised me well, he leaves the Void and Ophis gets her home back. If I can't do so, then he stays in the Void and Ophis must look for another way to remove him."

"Intriguing," the Dark Elf Queen mused. "I'd request to hear more about this interesting topic later. For now," she turned to Kuroka, "I'd request that you inspect my kingdom for anything that could relate to the loss of power my people are suffering from. As each day passes, more and more of my subjects find themselves too weak to do anything and are forced to bedrest." She frowned sadly, her eyes closed in mourning as she added, "We've already lost a handful due to this plague claiming their lives in their weakened states."

Kuroka nodded in understanding. "I'll see what I can find, Discordia-sama. I'd need a guide to show me around while I use senjutsu, though."

"And are the rumors about your…mentality in senjutsu to be believed," Olga asked with narrowed eyes, "or ignored?"

"Ignored," Kuroka answered without hesitation. "Those rumors were made by frightened Devils who served a worm of a [King]."

The disgust in her voice inferred to something deeper, but Olga said nothing more on the subject and turned to Chloe. "Show her around and stay with her. If you find anything, or if any issues come up, contact me."

"Yes, Ojou-sama," Chloe replied before she left the study with Kuroka, leaving Olga alone with Naruto.

"Come," the Queen stated, heading out of the study. "Let us walk while you tell me more about your time under the Void Goddess."

Naruto took one last look at the study before he followed her out, his eyes flickering red for a moment while the Kyuubi stirred within him.

* * *

Olga gave a thoughtful hum as she processed Naruto's answers to her questions. She had asked him what Ophis was like, how she raised him, and what he had at his disposal. His answers about Ophis were interesting, considering how similar he acted to her.

Olga had met the Dragon Goddess years ago, when she was still Princess of Eostia. The Goddess had taken on the form of a young child and spoke to her mother about helping her remove Great Red from the Void. At the time, their kingdom was still just beginning; so, her mother had to refuse to request of dragoness.

She remembered how…bland Ophis spoke; as if nothing concerned her. It was the same as how Naruto spoke; except he had moments where he spoke with curiosity or thoughtfulness. Apparently, he was tasked with _discovering his humanity_ , due to being a human at birth. However, he had dragon blood in his veins; Dragon _Goddess_ blood at that. His power was no doubt bound to be extraordinary.

And so, she asked him about his power; and he presented another surprise to her. He could manifest, use, and gift chakra; a powerful energy that few races had access to. Not only that, he had a massive construct of chakra sealed within his very being; there since his birth, according to what Naruto had been told by the beast.

It appears Naruto Uzumaki would be an enigma that she would need to decipher if she wanted to see what exactly made him tick.

"Truly," she finally spoke up, "you are a peculiar one, Naruto-san. Raised by the Void Dragoness, born with chakra while carrying a beast of one, and seeking what makes you human… Yes, I can say without doubt that there are few – if _any_ – like yourself."

He said nothing to her comments, seeing no need to respond to her slight praise.

"However, I must ask…" She paused to look him dead in the eye, fighting how unnerving it was to see almost nothing staring back at her. "Why is discovering your humanity so important? Humans are a…lowly race. Naïve to the world," she frowned, "arrogant despite their weaknesses, and always seeking to take what doesn't belong to them. Why would you wish to associate yourself with them?"

"To help Ophis get her home back," he answered as soon as she finished her question.

"Surely there must be more to it than that?" she pressed, raising a brow as she sat on her throne.

He shook his head. "No, that's it. I am to discover what makes me human and make my own decision regarding it once I do. Once I have my decision made, I will return to Ophis and stand before Great Red with her. He will then see if we have kept up our end of the wager."

"What a waste," she commented with a sigh, leaning her head against a fist with her elbow propped on one of the armrests. "So much potential… So much power… And you would disregard it to associate yourself with an ignorant species." She shook her head in disappointment. "Truly, such potential is squandered on humanity. You didn't deserve to be born human."

"We do not choose how we are born," he replied, earning her attention at the philosophical words. "We simply accept it and make the most of it. That was something Ophis taught me when I was a child, and I would betray that teaching if I didn't search for my humanity; for it is a part of me that I must accept."

She smirked in amusement. "I suppose you _are_ more than just a mindless drone. I wonder how you will grow and what you will be like once you realize how humanity weakens you.

 _ **"** **I like this woman,"**_ the Kyuubi mused with a chuckle.

"The Kyuubi finds you to be companionable, Elf Queen," Naruto passed on to Olga.

"Oh? Finding common ground with a beast of pure power? I suppose I should be pleased with myself."

 _ **"** **Well, at least we agree on humans being weak. Still, despite her weakening energy, she holds impressive power. Perhaps that neko was right in convincing you to help this dying race."**_

Naruto said nothing in reply, simply standing off to the side in silence while Olga opened a book from her study. He blinked when something crossed his senses, turning to one of her balconies and heading over to it. His actions made the Queen look up from her tome, raising a brow at him.

"Enjoying the scenery?" she asked with sarcasm, knowing that such a notion wouldn't cross the mind of one raised by Ophis.

"No," he answered, making her look amused at the sarcasm going over his head. "I sense something moving towards this castle."

That made her worried, and she stood up to move beside him, absently noting how he was over a head taller than she was; with the top of her head reaching his lower neck. Looking outside, she couldn't see anything other than the thick trees that surrounded her castle.

"I see nothing."

"Because the trees block you," he pointed out. "Some of them are moving, and birds are being disturbed." He pointed a distance away, and she saw some birds taking off as if in a panic. "Something is coming."

She frowned at this, turning to the guards in her throne room. "Ready the warriors," she ordered. "We may have a fight on our hands."

"Yes, Ojou-sama!" they saluted before they left to fulfill their orders.

She then turned to Naruto and hesitantly asked, "You will fight with us…right?"

"I said that I would assist you," he clarified, turning to face her. "If that means fighting a threat, then I will do so."

She gave a relieved sigh at that, offering him a faint smile. "You have my gratitude." She then turned serious and led him out of the throne room and towards the main gates of the castle. Summoning her contact glyph, she called out, "Chloe."

 _"Yes, Ojou-sama?"_

"Status report."

 _"Kuroka-san and I are moving around the castle as fast as we can. Currently, we're heading for the catacombs beneath."_

"Stay alert. There are potential threats moving in on the castle."

 _"We will, Ojou-sama."_

 _"Ne, is Whiskers gonna fight with you, nya?"_ Kuroka spoke up on the other end.

Olga couldn't help her amusement at the nickname for the blonde beside her. "Yes, he has offered his aid in the matter."

 _"Whiskers-kun, be sure to show them who they're dealing with, nya!"_

He looked confused for a moment. "Don't they already know that they're dealing with the Dark Elves?"

A sigh from Kuroka was heard on the other end. _"I meant… Never mind,"_ she said with a groan before Chloe cut the connection.

"What was she trying to tell me?" Naruto asked Olga, who still looked amused.

"What she meant was that she wants you to give a display of your power," she explained before adding, "Think of it like an intimidation tactic that also lets them know how strong you are."

"Like how a bear raises itself on its hind legs to appear more threatening?"

"Something like that," she confirmed. "At any rate, it looks like they've arrived."

Indeed, they had; and to her aggravation, it was a large group of Oni that had sworn fealty to her. Leading them were a small group of human men with one wearing armor leading them. He was dressed in dark clothes with black armor in the form of greaves, a left gauntlet, and a left pauldron. He had dark skin like the Dark Elves, brown hair with some stubble on his face, and red eyes that showed arrogance. Strapped to his back was a large broadsword with a thick blade that was almost as long as he was tall.

He gave Olga a smirk and greeted, "Nice to see you out of your castle walls, _Ojou-sama_."

She didn't appreciate the tone in his voice when proclaiming her title. "What are you doing with these Oni, Volt?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you truly think you'll succeed in this coup d'état?"

"Oh, I don't think I will. I _know_ I will, considering how much time has passed since this…illness your people have started suffering through."

Her amber orbs hardened murderously. "Bastard… So, you admit to having a hand in this?"

"I'll admit to giving the order; but the true creativity of this plague belongs to a mage we paid a pretty price for. A shame he didn't want to join in this conquest; I could've used him for a bit longer."

"Warriors!" Olga roared, out for blood for the people she had lost. "Prepare for retaliation!"

Her soldiers all gave a battle cry before they charged the Oni, who in turned charged with their own roars for battle and blood. The humans under Volt's command took their positions and joined the battle while Volt aimed for the Queen herself. As he aimed for her, he drew his sword to ready it for striking her down.

He wouldn't kill her. No, he had _special_ plans for this woman; plans that made him lick his lips hungrily.

The only problem standing in the way of his plan was a blonde stranger that calmly placed himself between himself and Olga. The look in his blue eyes show disinterest in the situation, which got under Volt's skin since it also meant that he didn't take his men and the Oni they convinced to join them seriously.

With a roar, he swung his blade to cut the brat down, but his entire momentum was halted when the blonde raised a hand and caught the blade. His face never lost its stoic expression and, in an instant, Volt was staggering back with an arrow sticking out of his body; stabbing into one of his minor organs based on the blood flow.

"W-What?" he choked out, glaring at the blonde. He still had his bow strapped to his back, so that had to mean… _'Did he just stab me with an arrow?'_

"Are all humans like this?" he asked blandly, finally showing emotion in the form of disappointment. "Is Olga right about you only seeking power that isn't yours? About the arrogance and ignorance humans cling to?"

"You damn brat…" His glare turned murderous. "You're just like that bitch you protect; looking down on us for being _weaker_ than you! You're not even human; so, who the fuck are you to judge?!"

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed at the man's yells, calling upon his chakra in the form of a flickering aura that surrounded him like an azure flame. The chakra brought along an immense pressure that made everyone freeze, with the Oni looking to him fearfully since they recognized the power.

It was a race capable of using chakra that chased them out of their mountain homes for Eostia, after all. Seeing this male use it brought forth their instinctual fear.

Volt grit his teeth as he forced his body to remain standing, stabbing his sword in the ground to act as a crutch. He glared as the blonde slowly raised up a hand with the palm facing the sky above. The chakra shroud responded by traveling up his body and taking the shape of a solid sphere that floated above his hand; its size growing steadily and already being the size of the blonde himself.

Olga watched in awe at the raw power Naruto had at his disposal, but then her eyes widened in fear as she saw that her warriors were left just as vulnerable as the Oni and humans that attacked. "Naruto, wait!"

He didn't make a move to show that he heard her, the chakra sphere still growing and reaching the size of a small home. To make matters worse for her, he started to float off the ground and rise into the air. She cursed under her breath and used her fading reserves of power to summon magical glyphs underneath each of her warriors and summon them behind her. She then used whatever little power that remained to raise a barrier that would hopefully shield them from the impending attack.

Volt stared in growing horror at the blue sphere of raw power that slowly began to eclipse the sun from his point of view on the ground. His gaze trembled as he struggled to move, but the pressure was too much for him and his men – both human and Oni – to handle.

"You were mistaken in your claim about me not being human," he heard Naruto speak, finally opening his eyes that gave an azure glow beneath the shadow of his chakra sphere. "I _am_ human," he declared as he rolled his arm so it was stretched in front of him with the palm still holding the sphere over his form. "However," he lowered the arm, letting the sphere fall to the ground with growing speed, "I'm _more_ than just human."

With that statement, the sphere struck the ground and engulfed Volt and his men in a massive blast of chakra. The power behind it was strong enough to create a massive crater while the barrier Olga constructed required more of her warriors to help her maintain it. They all grit their teeth and braced themselves as the shockwave of the blast nearly pushed them backwards.

Naruto then landed in front of their barrier and spread his chakra out once more, widening it to block the remaining force of the shockwave until it died down. Once everything settled, all that remained was the crater that was steaming with enough heat for Olga and her people to feel even from their distance.

"S…Such power…" Olga couldn't help but comment, her eyes wide and trembling.

Naruto then reined in his chakra and turned to face the Dark Elves, the warriors instinctively readying their weapons in defense of their Queen. This made him raise a brow while Olga waved them down, knowing that he was too much for them to handle.

"The threat has been taken care of," Naruto stated, as if his actions didn't already pass along the message.

"Yes… I can see that," Olga answered, taking care not to sound sarcastic in case she would offend the blonde before her. "All we need now is for Kuroka-san to find out the source of this plague."

A glyph appeared in her hand and she heard Chloe call out worriedly, _"Ojou-sama! Are you alright?!"_

Olga took a breath to compose herself before she replied, "Yes, we're alright. Some of us are wounded, but we're alright. Naruto-san pulled through for us."

 _"Nya~! I knew you'd do it, Whiskers!"_

Chloe was heard sighing in relief. _"Thank goodness… You have my gratitude, Naruto-san, for protecting Ojou-sama."_

He said nothing in response.

"Did you find anything?"

 _"Yes, we have. Kuroka-san sensed a disturbance as we headed deeper into the catacombs. There was a crystal formation that was giving off this corrosive miasma, and it had this dense gray fog surrounding it that drained me of much of my remaining power. Kuroka-san was kept safe with her senjutsu and she destroyed the crystal."_

 _"It only took one little scratch, nya!"_

 _"Yes, well…"_ Chloe coughed awkwardly to get things moving along. _"I'm already beginning to feel better, despite being in such close proximity. That could only mean that our people will get better in the coming hours; if not a day or so."_

"That's wonderful news. Meet us in the throne room as soon as you can."

 _"Yes, Ojou-sama."_

With the connection cut, Olga dismissed her warriors to get some rest and heal from any wounds they had sustained before turning to the blonde. "…Would you have released that attack of yours if I didn't get my people out of there?" she asked, frowning at him.

"No, I wouldn't. I was told to _show them who they were dealing with_ ," he explained, making her look stunned. "I merely took your advice and showed them a glimpse of my power; enough for them to left vulnerable. I assumed that, like Chloe, you could use transportation based magic; so, I waited for you to do so."

"I was barely able to," she informed him, her glare returning.

"You had enough to pull it off, from what I was able to sense from you. And if you didn't," chakra formed on his back before it stretched and took the shape of a clawed limb, "I would've removed your people from the impact point."

She eyed the chakra constructed arm for a moment before she watched him dispel it. Satisfied with his argument, she dropped her glare for a relieved smile. "I see… Then I cannot thank you enough for what you've done for my kingdom; you and Kuroka-san." She turned and began to head inside. "Come, let's head inside so that I may speak with you both."

He followed her into the castle and through its halls, entering the throne room behind her. Chloe and Kuroka came along not too long after, with the nekoshō looking rather pleased with herself based on the smile she had and the spring in her step.

Taking her seat on her throne, Olga regarded the two heroes of her people with a faint smile. "Words alone cannot express how much I appreciate what you both have done for my kingdom and my people. In light of your efforts, I will grant you both one personal favor of me; either to share or as two separate ones. If you have an idea for the favor, speak it now."

Kuroka kept her smile and spoke, "I'd like for someone to help me keep an eye on someone."

"For what purpose, if I may ask?"

"It's my sister," the Black Cat answered, her expression turning serious. "She's under the care of a Gremory Devil; but, despite the goodwill that family has regarding their Peerages and servants, I still need to know if she's safe."

"Your actions towards your late [King] have left her under a negative standpoint, I take it?" deduced the Dark Elf Queen.

"Yes, Discordia-sama."

"Very well. I'll introduce you to one of my scouts so that they may set up a connection link with you. This way, they can contact you – or you them – at any point."

Kuroka regained her smile and bowed grateful. "Thank you."

Olga then turned to Naruto and asked, "And what of your favor?"

"I have none," he answered truthfully. "I joined this cause because Kuroka said it could help prevent the loss of a race. I do not care for the affairs of others since they do nothing to help me get Ophis her home back. However," he paused thoughtfully, "there are still many things in this life that I am blind or ignorant to. If I was to make a request…I would request you to aid me in understanding what it is that I am unaware of."

She hummed at his request, finding it to have multiple methods to deal with. However, she found one particular path to be rather…tempting in its undertaking. She allowed a smirk to form on her lips at the thought of such a method, and her personal touch regarding it.

"Very well then," she finally spoke. Turning to Kuroka, she asked, "Where was this journey of yours supposed to move through?"

"Wherever was necessary," Kuroka answered with a curious look aimed at Olga. "Why do you ask?"

"I ask because I believe that, in regards to my favor owed to Naruto-san, I should accompany the two of you," she answered, causing an uproar with her people. Most of which argued that they couldn't be without their Queen. "Enough!" she ordered while slamming the end of her scepter on the ground, silencing them all. "This is my decision as your Queen. With this choice, it is my aim to convince Naruto-san into finding a place here in Eostia as a permanent guardian."

Kuroka looked surprised at the blatant reveal of her ulterior motive while Naruto merely raised a brow in intrigue.

"I leave you all so that I may return wiser, stronger, and with a new champion to help us through whatever trials that might come our way," she declared to her fellow Dark Elves. Secretly in her thoughts, she added, _'And if possible, this potential guardian may become a potential_ King _.'_

She smirked at the blonde hybrid that stood before her, having grown attracted to the power he had at his disposal. If she were to have a child from him, then her race's next generation would only be stronger than the current.

Everything she did was for her people; but who knows? She may end up truly coming to love the man before her. And such a notion did nothing to dissuade her.

On the contrary, it made her all the more interested.

* * *

 **PHEW!**

 **That took a while to type up! But chapter three is now finished, and Naruto has someone out to win his favor!**

 **Will Olga succeed in convincing Naruto to stay in Eostia in the future? Will she fall in love with him, or simply have him be a means to an end?**

 **I know, of course; but can** _ **you**_ **figure it out?!**

 **Until next time!**

 _ **~pain17ification~**_


End file.
